Staff Directory

Catherine Coolen

When hired into the YCS family in 2010 it was like coming home because I had spent most of my childhood growing up in Yellowknife.

For 10 years I left the North for academic studies and work. I graduated high school at Ecole Sainte Anne in Fredericton, New Brunswick then did my undergraduate degree at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia to then complete my education degree at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Having lived in a number of different parts of Canada and driven coast to coast has given me a great appreciation for this country and it's beauty. I love the outdoors and try to spend as much time as possible between canoes, ski-doos and hiking.

I truly enjoy being in the teaching profession and all that it has to offer. Being involved in grad councils, service projects, drama productions and sports has allowed me to meet some wonderful individuals over the years and I look forward to being part these groups on varying levels to see who else I will meet and be wowed by. In the classroom setting my niche is on the language arts side teaching English Language Arts, Social Studies, Northern Studies and Religion.

Being in the high school, travel is a great opportunity that students have the possibilty of doing. To date I have been able to be part of 2 different trips. One as a teacher chaperone on the Canadian Battlefields trip to Europe in 2015 and then as a group leader on a service trip to Ecuador and Galapagos Islands in 2017. Both were trips with many great memories with inspirational aspects. I would encourage students if they have an interest to seek out these opportunities while at ESPHS.